


Bonding

by xNekorux



Category: VALORANT (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Gun Violence, Jealous Killjoy, Tsundere Viper, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:15:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27061033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xNekorux/pseuds/xNekorux
Summary: All Killjoy wanted was to bond with Viper and maybe get a taste of her cooking. But then again, they have their duties as Radiants.
Relationships: Killjoy/Viper (VALORANT), Mentioned Sage/Reyna (VALORANT)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 145





	Bonding

**Bonding** _(Killjoy x Viper)_

The audible sounds of bones clicking reached the German's ears as she stretched her arms up in the air, while her companion walking alongside her gave an amused look at the noise.

"That sounded like a cry for help." Raze commented with a snicker, earning a small scoff from the techie.

"Just working out the kinks, that's all."

For a moment, Raze merely hummed and nodded, but when a particular idea came into mind, a teasing grin was quick to occupy her face. "The anaconda is pretty rough in the bed, ain't she?"

"Anaconda?" Killjoy asked in confusion, not realizing immediately who the duelist was describing. "What anaconda?"

"Oh, you know who." Raze poked at Killjoy's side, wiggling her eyebrows.

Killjoy was about to further question who she was referring to when she was _finally_ struck with realization. Her eyes widened, while her cheeks colored visibly. She gave Raze a swat on the arm, while the latter merely started guffawing at her expression.

"Shut up, Izzy!" Killjoy demanded, looking around just in case someone else heard their conversation. "You know how Sabine is when it comes to discussing our private life. When she discovered I spoke with Sage about it, she was _so_ vexed with me."

"Okay, first of all, why did you even talk to Sage about it? I mean, seriously, of all people? Sage?"

"What, you didn't know?"

"Didn't know what?"

Killjoy's gaze trailed away from Raze and wandered ahead, where she caught a glimpse of Reyna and Phoenix passing by as they conversed with one another about the topic of blinding their enemies in the battlefield. Unfortunately, Raze seemed to have caught her lingering stare towards the duo, specifically on Reyna.

"Nevermind what I said." Killjoy tried dismissing the topic, casually waving it off with a hand.

Raze's suspicion was already on the rise, but she chose not to prod, thinking it'd be better and much more fun for her to conduct a little recon mission concerning the matter. "Alright, fine. But you have to tell me why you asked Sage."

"Oh, you know, she's one of the most mature and responsible agents in the Protocol, so I figured she had some advice for me with my relationship with Sabine. It's pretty much just that."

"Well, I guess you _do_ have a point."

" _Ahem._ " Came the sound of Brimstone clearing his throat behind them, which prompted the pair to turn around and face the older agent.

"Ah, Brimstone! Just the man I wanted to see!" Raze stood on her tippy-toes just to barely sling an arm around the man's neck, flashing a little grin as she continued with, "Say, about the whole _'testing my Showstopper'_ at the open field…"

"The board hasn't decided yet, Raze," Brimstone said, looking more like an exasperated father rather than a frustrated commander. "so you'll just have to wait until they do."

"Aww, come on!"

"Now, if you don't mind, Killjoy here has a briefing to attend."

The techie, who seemed to have been momentarily forgotten, pointed at herself. "What? A briefing? Oh come on, Brimstone. I just got back from a mission yesterday!"

Brimstone sighed but lightly pushed her to the direction where the briefing room could be found. "I know that, but time is of the essence here. I don't have all day and you're the first of many others that I have to give a briefing to."

Killjoy made a face, but nonetheless followed. They both bid farewell to Raze, who seemed to have begun in planning on her own secret task once they waved goodbye to one another.

The trip to the aforementioned room was short and next thing Killjoy knew, she was seated on the seat at one end of the long table. She leaned back and made herself at home on her chair, propping her legs up, only to have Brimstone push them off and cause her to huff.

"Alright, enough of that attitude. I know you're not exactly excited for another mission." Brimstone started, while Killjoy settled in crossing her arms and settling back on her chair. "But, this one in particular is about one of the Kingdom's sources of Radianite."

That captured Killjoy's interest. Working with Radianite technology and the substance itself was always something that piqued her interest. She was always a sucker for learning something new.

"And how does this concern me?"

"Based on the intel Cypher acquired two days ago, there's a scheduled delivery of Radianite at a small city in America. Intel says that that's where they usually make the monthly trade in that area." Brimstone then lowered his gaze to the holographic keypad before him, cursing under his breath when he accidentally closed the image of the city he was supposed to present.

A minute of Brimstone cussing at the technology and Killjoy just snickering at his expense, the big man finally managed to display the city's holographic structure at the center of the table.

"Alright. Ahem. Now, Cypher wasn't able to precisely pinpoint the exact date of the delivery, but he did manage to narrow down the time frame." Brimstone tapped on one of the small houses in a quaint-looking neighborhood. "You and another agent of your choosing are expected to go undercover in the city."

"Wait, just me and another agent? That's it? That's what we're going to throw at the Kingdom's monthly Radianite delivery convoy, which will highly likely consist of heavily-armed escorts?"

"You're _not_ going to engage into _anything_." Brimstone cleared out, shooting Killjoy a slightly narrowed look as he continued. "All you need to do is place a tracker on two things. To the group that _receives_ the shipment and the group that _provided_ the said shipment. The agent you're with will only be there for emergency purposes just in case the mission gets compromised."

"Ah, I see." Killjoy tapped her fingers on the edge of the table, her eyes closely auditing the structure of the projected city before her. "Just a little bugging mission, then."

"Hardly call it little." Brimstone muttered with a scoff.

"I'm curious though. Why not send Sova to do this one?"

"I already assigned him and Omen to handle another Radianite shipment in Russia."

"Ah."

"As for Cypher, he's investigating an important lead about the Kingdom. Any more questions?"

"Just one, actually. You mentioned that my partner for this operation will be of my _own_ choosing, right?"

Brimstone looked like he withheld a sigh as he straightened up and crossed his arms. "I already had a hunch on who you're going to choose, so I took the liberty of briefing her before you."

Killjoy pouted. "Aww, you briefed Sabine without me? Why?"

"Trivial details. Just know that I put her in charge of not only your expenses for this operation, but also your well-being. Knowing you, you'd probably throw a Nanoswarm at them if the opportunity presented itself."

"I have absolutely no clue on what you're talking about." Killjoy feigned innocence before leaning on the table and asking, "What was Sabine's reaction when you told her she's going to be my co-agent?"

Brimstone snorted in amusement. "Displeased and utterly exasperated."

"That's just how she always is, isn't she?" Killjoy said, sounding quite happy with the response, despite the fact Brimstone literally just told her that Viper wasn't all too happy in the partnership.

Clearing his throat to return their conversation to the briefing itself, Brimstone then gestured at Killjoy as he said, "You both leave in an hour. Just pack a few days worth of necessities before heading to the hangar."

"That's it?"

"Don't be late."

"Oh come on, Brimstone. When was I ever late?"

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

Keeping her word, Killjoy arrived at the hangar just in time to see Viper walking into the aircraft they'll be riding in on their way to America. The sight of the scientist really did wonders to her heart, regardless of the blatant fact that Viper wore no smile.

The reason why she had complained to Brimstone about the mission initially was because she's been deployed thrice this past two weeks, the current operation being the fourth one. Even though she knew this was what she'd get herself into when she was recruited into their ranks, it was still exhausting at the end of the day.

Not only that, but she hadn't been able to see, talk or just be with Viper throughout those mentioned weeks. The controller had also been busy with the mission she herself was assigned to handle, so Killjoy missed her a whole lot.

Trailing after the scientist with a little bounce on every step she took, she jumped to a stop once she was right behind the raven-haired woman, a bright and cheery greeting leaving her lips as she abruptly embraced Viper from behind.

"Hey there, Sabine!"

At the end of the aircraft, the two pilots were startled with the sudden bang of her shoes on the steel floor, their heads snapping towards their direction just in time to see Viper scowl and Killjoy nuzzle her cheek against the former's back.

Viper immediately shot the pilots a deadly glare, causing them both to frantically take their seats and start the engine of the aircraft. She was certainly not going to let them see how much she was willing to reciprocate towards Killjoy's affections.

"Awfully nice to see you're still annoying." Viper murmured, her ever cold tone not at all bothering the techie, who gave her one last squeeze before releasing her and finally allowing her to turn around and face one another.

"It's nice to see you, too, _häschen_." _(bunny)_

Viper's eyes narrowed at the endearment, but the fact that she didn't react negatively towards it wordlessly showed how she indeed missed her significant other as well. After all, she always hated it when Killjoy used that little pet name on her, so her saying nothing at all ironically says so much.

"As much as I am certain you wish to speak about something else rather than the mission at hand, I would have to stop you there now." Viper said, knowing all too well that Killjoy wanted to ask her the typical questions about how and what she's been doing for the past two weeks. "Since this _is_ an undercover operation…"

Killjoy stated as Viper grabbed her left hand, slipped her brown glove off and smoothly slid a plain diamond ring around her ring finger. As the cool silver band encircled her finger, she could feel her heart thundering in her chest all of a sudden.

One second, two seconds, three…-!

"Sabine, are you proposing!?"

An evidently irked expression took over Viper's face as Killjoy practically announced to the entire hangar that she had just put a ring on her little finger. She could sense the gazes of not only the pilots behind her, but also the ones from the people right outside the still open aircraft.

Gripping Killjoy's all of a sudden, she said, " _This_ is our cover. Not a pathetic, little proposal."

Killjoy's heart immediately calmed down upon hearing that. She gave a huge sigh, fixing the perch of her glasses on her nose as she released a sheepish laugh. "I thought for a second there…-"

The techie didn't get to finish. Viper abruptly inched forward, glove still in hand and used to caress over from Killjoy's throat up to the bottom of her jaw, causing her to become still as she sucked in and held her breath. The scientist's scowl slowly melted into a mischievous curve barely comprehensible on her lips as she uttered her words in that low, husky voice of hers.

"For your information, _liebling_ , I can be quite romantic if I wanted to." _(darling)_

Killjoy felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest at the sensual and absolutely natural huskiness of Viper's voice. Add that to how the woman gave her that slow stroke with her glove before slipping it in deep in one of her pants' front pockets, well…

She was so close in becoming a hot mess.

"I just choose not to."

And with that, Viper withdrew her hand from her pocket and turned away, heading to where the two pilots were settled. This, of course, left Killjoy to stare back at her with cheeks colored red and heart still thumping in her ears.

Viper was definitely going to be the death of her.

The aircraft soon took off after that little teasing between them, prompting them both to sit back down on the seats and wait until they'd finally reached their destination.

Knowing the flight would be fairly long, Viper downloaded some of her files of research data and occupied herself in reading them one by one through the tablet she took out from her pack.

Beside her, Killjoy had a laptop on her lap, which she was typing in and bringing up a bunch of locations found in the city they'll be staying at for the next couple of days. At first she told Viper about the key points in the city, mainly the possible places the delivery will be done at, but once they got over that…

"Hey, Sabine, do you cook?"

Viper, whose gaze remained fixated on the tablet, hummed flatly.

"...I'll take that as a maybe." Killjoy said after a brief moment, pulling up an image of a cozy-looking restaurant before turning her laptop to Viper. "Good news. I found a place we could eat in while we're there. It'll save us both the hassle of cooking for ourselves."

A sigh. Viper turned and momentarily stared at the restaurant displayed in the image before she directed her gaze to Killjoy, unimpressed. "This isn't a vacation, _schnecke_. It's a mission that requires us to be careful and not draw attention to ourselves." _(snail)_

"It's just a little restaurant! We can dine there without anyone even batting an eyelash."

"The funds we were provided with are _not_ for enjoyment. They're for basic supplies and necessities."

"But the prices in this place are really affordable!"

Viper let her gaze speak for her at this point. She merely stared back, knowing the techie would get the hint. Debating about this matter was certainly not in her agenda.

In just a few seconds, Killjoy's smile fell as she made a face and turned her laptop back to herself, exiting the image of the restaurant. "I know you're not one for dates, but it'd be nice every once and a while to go out and eat with you."

With how audible her pout sounded through that line of hers, it was quite obvious that she was more than a bit disappointed that Viper wouldn't let her have at least _this_. Maybe what Jett told her was true. Maybe it really was impossible for someone like Viper to be all sweet and romantic.

Killjoy's not really complaining though, especially when she thought about Viper's personality and her own quirks. The calm and cool demeanor she always wore had always been one of the many things that attracted her in the first place. Not to mention the way those eyes looked whenever mischief gleamed in those emerald hues, it drove Killjoy crazy.

"We'll be going on a grocery run once we arrive and set up at our temporary home."

Startled out of her thoughts, Killjoy snapped her gaze back to Viper, eyes wide behind her glasses. "I thought you can't cook."

"I never said anything of that sort." Viper replied, sounding exasperated.

"You'll cook for me, then?" Killjoy asked, her eagerness practically sparkling in her brown eyes. She couldn't help but imagine Viper wearing a cliché fluffy white apron over her usual black turtleneck. The image was almost enough to make her guffaw with laughter.

"Not with a silly-looking apron, if that's what you're thinking." Viper stated, eyes narrowing in suspicion as she surveyed the visible shift in Killjoy's mood.

A guilty smile shaped her lips as she closed her laptop and absently fiddled with the edge of the tech. "I assure you I wasn't thinking of such thing."

Viper cooking for her? Oh, that would just be a dream come true. Not to mention this also presented her the chance in bonding with the woman through the act of cooking itself. Killjoy soon concluded that this was so much better than dining out.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

As much as Killjoy wanted to stay up throughout the whole plane ride, she ended up falling asleep halfway through the trip. At first she was just toying with her control watch, but she soon grew bored of it and ended up passing out.

Viper wasn't exactly the type to blatantly show affection so easily, which Killjoy blamed the pilots for. Though the mentioned pilots did or said nothing, their presence alone and the lack of privacy the open cockpit offered was enough for Viper to refuse biting back whenever Killjoy threw a teasing comment or made a flirty move.

Before she fell asleep though, Killjoy didn't let Viper's lack of affectionate reciprocation stop her. She chose to just reach out and grasp one of Viper's hands, which were clad in a normal pair of black gloves. Though there was a layer of fabric that separated their hands from experiencing actual skin contact, Killjoy still felt immensely warm just by the hindered touch.

When Viper gave her hand a squeeze while she read the data displayed onscreen of the tablet she was holding with her other hand, it conveyed the message the scientist wanted to tell her. The silent gestures had always been a part of Viper. One that Killjoy learned to love and understand as they both fell in a relationship no one ever predicted.

Shoulder being lightly shaken, Killjoy roused out of her sleep with a small jolt. Eyes barely opening, she gave a big yawn before she fixed her glasses and let her line of sight focus on the black blur in front of her. Said black blur soon morphed into the face of her lover, who gave her cheek a few harmless taps to further wake her up from her slumber.

"Sabine…?"

"Wake up, _schnecke_. We're here."

Killjoy was about to make a comment about how Viper's face was a great sight to wake up to, but when she noticed a huge detail concerning the scientist, her eyes nearly popped out of its sockets while she herself shot off her seat. Viper thankfully had already stepped back, unfazed by her sudden movement.

"How long have I been asleep!? _Mein Gott,_ why is your hair so…! So…!" Unable to finish her own words, Killjoy decided to flimsily gesture at the long, straight obsidian tresses that could now be described as Viper's hair.

"It's a wig." Viper clarified with a sigh, fixing something underneath the head accessory. "Brimstone asked me to wear it for the sake of disguise, so not a word about how ridiculous it looks."

"Oh no, no, no, Sabine. Ridiculous? Definitely not!" Any remnants of sleep faded away so quickly as Killjoy cupped Viper's face in her hands, prompting the scientist to glare at her. "You look absolutely gorgeous!"

"Ugh." Viper pulled her face back, turning away and picking her bag up to avoid any more of Killjoy's attempts in getting a good inspection of her appearance. "Get your pack. There's a vehicle waiting for us outside the aircraft."

"Will do." Killjoy quickly snatched her bag from where she left it, hurriedly glancing around to make sure she didn't leave anything else before she rushed off and went after Viper.

They seemed to have landed in a small airport, and upon their exit from their plane, a black SUV could be found waiting for them. There was a man that waited right beside the vehicle, probably one of the many undercover operatives stationed in this area.

After confirming that they have complete access to the vehicle and that their equipment was already at the back, the man excused himself and let them take their own departure from the airport.

With Viper behind the wheel and Killjoy at the front passenger seat, they made their way to the address currently displayed on the car's dashboard. The house they'll be staying at could be found on the other side of the city since it was literally on the edge and was practically right beside a forest.

"Aren't we going to get some supplies first?" Killjoy asked as they passed by a supermarket. "I haven't eaten anything, but the sandwich I snatched from the cafeteria for us."

"We'll order something once we get settled at the house."

"Order something? I thought you were going to cook!"

Viper sighed. "We don't have time today. We need to set up our equipment, mainly yours, at the house. After that, I'll still have to set up additional surveillance around the city. I assume Cypher lent you some of his cameras?"

Killjoy huffed at that. "I'm offended that you immediately assumed that I don't have that type of equipment in my arsenal. For your information, Sabine, I have stealth cameras, too."

"Which is exactly why we have no time to cook for ourselves." Viper pointed out, holding herself back from sighing again. "The mission comes first, _schnecke_."

"I know, I know." Killjoy gave a sigh of her own. "I was just looking forward to tasting your cooking, that's all."

Viper glanced at her from her place, saying nothing as Killjoy looked out through the window with a mildly disappointed look on her face.

Even though she might not show it, Viper felt a little bothered with that expression of disappointment on the techie's face. She knew the reason why Killjoy wanted the whole cooking thing to happen, but like what she said, the mission comes first.

Just because she couldn't find the right words to say didn't mean she didn't know what else she could do to cheer up her saddened lover.

Killjoy stilled for a second before she slowly turned her head back to Viper, her eyes trailing from the scientist's face down to the hand that was giving her thigh a gentle caress before lightly squeezing once.

"Sabine?"

Viper remained silent, letting her hand rest on top of Killjoy's knee, while her thumb moved to stroke over the fabric of her pants every now and then.

It made Killjoy's heart fill up with warmth.

Draping a hand of her own on top of Viper's, Killjoy leaned in and gave the agent a kiss on the cheek. "You're always so full of surprises, aren't you?"

Again, Viper stayed quiet, eyes not even glancing at Killjoy, who was already feeling all too happy with their semi-handholding.

"I hope to see every single one of them in the future," Killjoy said, stroking her own thumb over Viper's fingers. "and I'll make sure to love you even more when you _do_ show them."

Another surprise greeted Killjoy when she spied Viper's cheeks color with the lightest shade of pink. Even the long hair of the wig wasn't able to conceal such cute detail. It looked so out of place on the neutral expression on the woman's face, but that's what made it all the more special and beautiful.

Killjoy chose to just keep to herself and enjoy the rest of the car ride with a goofy, little smile on her lips.

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

Once they arrived at the house, they both unloaded their equipment as soon as the car slid to a park inside the garage connected to their temporary abode. Once she finished bringing their things inside, Killjoy took a quick scan of their surroundings.

There were other houses in the area, but there were fairly big spaces in between them. It provided them more than enough privacy for their operation. Though she had to further ask Viper about their cover story just in case one of their neighbours felt more than a little friendly and decided to knock on the door just to welcome them in the neighborhood.

The two of them were setting up around the vacant room next to the small living area by the time Killjoy decided to ask about their cover.

"Hey, Sabine, I know our cover is pretty much obvious with the ring around my finger, but if one of the neighbours comes over and asks about us, what do I say?"

"A couple that got recently engaged and has merely moved here for a fresh start." Viper replied while she set up some sort of hologram equipment at one side of the room. "That's it."

"What about our jobs though?"

"Doctor and tech support."

Killjoy nearly dropped the priceless tech she was holding. " _Tech support_!?"

Viper sighed, knowing that particular label was something the techie despised with every fiber of her being. Still, she figured she should clarify that, "It was Brimstone's idea, not mine."

"Oh, I'm going to shoot that old man." Killjoy said, glaring at the equipment she was holding as if it was Brimstone himself.

"Once you're done choking the living daylight out of that thing you're holding, make sure to set up the security system of the house." Viper said as she finished setting up the holographic tech she was handling. "I'm going to take the stealth cameras and drive around the city to set up additional surveillance to the key points Cypher mapped out for us."

"Fine, I'll set up my computer first, so I can access the city's surveillance system while you're out." Killjoy muttered, placing the equipment she had in hand on the table at the side.

Before she left though, Viper slipped into the master bedroom at the other side of the small house, taking out a case from her pack that contained a pair of eyeglasses and an attire from the dresser filled with many other clothes for them to use. She had to play and like an actual doctor and not a scientist that was about to poison you if you got on her nerve.

Donning a simple pair of black pegged pants and a white blouse, Viper was soon walking back out to the living room, the black two-inch heels she wore notifying Killjoy of her return.

"I'll be out for an hour or two, _schnecke_."

"Alright, stay safe and come back in one piece." Killjoy, who was halfway underneath the desk, was connecting a bunch of wires and plugs, giving a little cheer when the outline of the wires lit up. She hurriedly got up on her feet, dusting her pants and hands before turning to Viper as she spoke, "Oh, and don't go grocery shopping without…-"

Killjoy abruptly fell silent, while her mouth hung open in surprise at the outfit Viper was currently clad in. Though it was no skirt or that much of a drastic difference, Viper was always dressed in her usual turtleneck, black pants and her lab coat. Pair her new outfit up with that fake but real-looking wig of hers…

"Wow, Sabine…" Killjoy breathed out, eyes glimmering with evident adoration. "I swear, I can never really wrap my head around the fact that you're my girlfriend."

Viper lightly scoffed. "And why is that, hmm?"

"It's like everyday, you become more and more beautiful! As for me though…" Killjoy laughed to herself as she jokingly said, "I feel like I'm getting dorkier and nerdier."

"If I wanted fierce and domineering, I would have asked Reyna to be my lover, not you." Viper said, before adding an afterthought. "Although, I don't think Sage would appreciate me stealing that woman from her."

Killjoy perked up. "Wait, does that mean you like how nerdy I am?"

Viper half-heartedly rolled her eyes before heading towards the door, waving dismissively. "Details, details."

"Ha! I knew it wasn't just my brain that attracted you!" Killjoy called out in triumph, feeling awfully giddy at her discovery.

The whole preparation process that followed was pretty much a breeze for Killjoy. She was used to setting up her bots all over a battlefield with little to no time during dangerous missions, so doing something similar to such in the comfort and safety of a house was nothing but cakewalk for her.

By the time she finished setting her things up and putting the security system of the house online, she immediately fired up her computer and started working on the city surveillance. It took her less than five minutes to hack the system and just like that, she had eyes and ears all over.

Once that was done, she switched to the system connected to the stealth cameras Viper was placing around the area. One by one, they came online. If Killjoy had a tail, it would probably be wagging now, especially when she spotted her fellow agent through one of the cameras.

Flicking a switch from her control board and moving the small analog stick, a laser pointer lit up and could be seen focused on Viper's forehead. Snickering when Viper glared at the camera, Killjoy moved the laser until it was around her torso. Using the control stick, she tried tracing a heart over Viper's chest.

Unfortunately, it only looked like she messily encircled Viper's chest, which of course, made herself seem like a pervert.

Viper shot her an impervious look before turning away and heading to where she parked the vehicle. Killjoy managed to realize what she had done though, so now she was back at home, giving herself a face-palm out of embarrassment.

After putting the camera back to stealth mode, she decided to run a program that would automatically check if the remaining cameras were online before she turned away and turned their mission board on, which projected a blank hologram ready for them to fill up with whatever intel they end up finding during the operation.

Settling on the floor, Killjoy started tinkering with the trackers she'll be soon attaching to their enemies. As much as she would prefer tossing a Nanoswarm at them, she had her orders. She wouldn't want to cause Brimstone's blood pressure to skyrocket upon their return.

Halfway finished with her work, Killjoy soon heard the door unlocking, which was then followed by the audible click of the heels that belonged to none other than Viper, who propped the empty suitcase at the side of the room.

The scientist gave an audible sigh of relief as she removed the wig from her head, storing it in one of the smaller cases at the side. She combed through her short hair as she turned to approach Killjoy.

"Hey, Sabine." The techie greeted, waving a tool of hers.

"I assume you were pleased with the camera angles." Viper said instead of returning the acknowledgement, a knowing look in her eyes.

"About that," Killjoy offered a sheepish smile as she pushed herself up to her feet. "I was actually trying to draw a heart, but obviously, it didn't turn out so well."

"Clearly."

"And I wholeheartedly apologize!" She said, raising her hands in surrender for a moment before she placed her things on top of another table.

Viper scoffed, obviously not believing she was indeed apologetic for what she did. Lifting up the paper bag she was apparently holding with her other hand, she said, "Regardless of your little perversions, I bought dinner."

Welcoming the shift in topic and choosing not to comment about Viper's little remark towards what she did, Killjoy stepped in and accepted the bag with a thankful smile on her face.

"Just in time. I was feeling famished already." Killjoy snatched her laptop from her bag before she started towards the living room. "Hey, do you want to watch a movie while we eat? There's this new sci-fi thing I've been wanting to see."

As Killjoy was about to walk past Viper completely…

"I’m not into watching films, _schnecke_ ,"

"Oh, well, we could…-"

"but I _would_ love to see you go down on me."

...her heart nearly exploded right then and there like a Spike that had just reached the end of its countdown.

"After the mission, of course." Viper then added off-handedly, nonchalantly shrugging as she strode past Killjoy and went ahead to sit on the sofa. "I suppose a film would suffice for now."

With a bright red face, Killjoy nearly couldn't stop herself from swatting Viper with the paper bag as she hastily followed after her.

"You can't just tease me like that during a mission!"

"I just did."

"You're the real pervert between you and me!"

"I wasn't the one gawking at my lover's bust through a camera."

"I told you, I was drawing a _heart_!"

"Mmm, whatever helps you sleep at night, _maus_."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

To say that Killjoy woke up on the right side of the bed was definitely an understatement. The bedroom only had one double bed, so obviously, she and Viper shared it when they slept. The air conditioning was also broken and since it was rather hot without it, they both chose to dress lighter than usual before they went to bed.

While Killjoy chose a shirt and a pair of panties, Viper just stuck with a plain underwear set that the German was absolutely pleased and tormented with. The view it offered may have been great, but it sure wasn't nice to know she couldn't do anything but hug her girlfriend.

Truthfully speaking, Killjoy didn't exactly wake up on her own. They apparently shifted on the bed in their sleep, so she had woken up when Viper tried changing position, still unconscious and unaware of Killjoy's place on top of her.

When Viper grunted quietly and tried pushing Killjoy off during the whole shift, the techie woke up with her face literally pressed against her bedmate's chest.

"Get… off…" Viper mumbled, eyebrows furrowing in frustration as she was gradually roused out of her slumber.

Killjoy just smiled to herself and started kissing on the exposed skin at the valley of her lover's breasts. Of course that only caused Viper to wake up much faster than the pace she was going. Groaning, Viper pushed Killjoy's head away and turned around, back facing the techie that pouted at the rejection.

"Aww, Sabine…-"

"Not a word." Viper murmured, raising a finger over her shoulder before she forced herself to fully get up from the bed.

Though it was brief, Killjoy immensely enjoyed the little love and affection she managed to give. Judging by the light redness in Viper's ears, it was clear that the scientist was more affected with the small rain of kisses she gave her than she let on.

Two hours later, the two of them were driving down to the supermarket to finally do their mini-grocery shopping. Viper tried insisting that she could've done it by herself so that Killjoy could stay back and monitor the cameras, but the techie was quite persistent in coming along.

Viper once again wore the wig she was provided with, while she had Killjoy ditch her green beanie and yellow jacket. They have distinct traits that would help any Kingdom people in recognizing them, so she didn't want to have Killjoy run around the city with those two things she loves so much.

The techie wore a dark blue hoodie this time and partnered it with a pair of jeans, which was as casual as Viper's own outfit. The latter's attire consisted of a white turtleneck and plain black pants. Killjoy took it as a chance to say a remark about how the scientist sure had a fixation to turtlenecks.

Now here they were walking down the aisle, and not in a romantic way, with a grocery cart, which Killjoy was trying to steadily fill up with every little thing she wanted to eat.

But since she walked ahead of Viper and the cart itself, she didn't seem to take notice that every single time she placed something that wasn't on Viper's mental list, the latter would merely take them and return them back to the shelves.

"Ooh, and this one! You have to try this one!"

Viper held back a sigh as she returned probably the umpteenth item Killjoy tried dumping in the cart, eyes too focused on the next item to notice that the things she got in the first place were now missing from the cart.

"Is that all?" Viper asked when they finally finished perusing through the food section and was now a fair distance away from the checkout.

"Yep, I think I got everything I wanted."

"Good."

Killjoy watched as Viper pushed the cart towards the checkout, her eyes widening when it had significantly less items inside. Where were the chips she took? Where were the chocolate bars she dumped earlier? Where did the pack of chocolate chip cookies go? Where was the rest of the junk food she had taken?

"Wait a second, where are all the food?"

"These _are_ the food." Viper said as she started putting them on the conveyor belt of the counter.

"What? What about…-"

Viper raised a finger at her, shushing her immediately before she continued unloading their groceries for the cashier. The said cashier snickered to himself when he saw how quickly Killjoy had shut up upon the gesture. The techie shot the guy a glare, giving him a look that told him to shut up as well.

Once the cart was empty and all that was left was to wait for their groceries to be scanned and bagged, Viper turned to Killjoy and finally gave her an explanation why her snacks were put back on the shelves.

"The food you placed in the cart weren't necessities. Therefore, we will _not_ be buying them."

"But…-"

"But," Viper raised a finger at her again, silencing her once more. "as a compromise, I'll be the one cooking lunch today."

In a flash, Killjoy's mood took a turn and all the snacks she wanted but was not given were completely forgotten. "Really? Okay, that makes all of this worth it."

"You have to help though." Viper muttered as she turned away to pay for the groceries.

"Oh, it would be my utmost pleasure to do so, Sabine."

Viper shot her a brief glare when she uttered her real name in public during a mission, only to be spared from her wrath by the cashier, who called for Viper's attention.

"And here's your card, beautiful lady." The guy said with a little smile, handing Viper the credit card she used.

While Viper blatantly ignored the little compliment and proceeded to gather the bags in her arms, Killjoy slammed her palms down the counter, successfully stealing the cashier's attention.

"Hey there, friend. The name's KJ…-"

"KJ?"

"-yeah, KJ, don't wear it out. Now," She placed a hand on the guy's shoulder as if she was giving him a friendly pat. "that beautiful lady right there? She's my girlfriend."

" _Fiancée_." Viper flatly corrected, mainly for the sake of making sure their cover story wouldn't shift into something else and end up telling different versions of it to the people they end up inevitably interacting with in the city.

"Ooh, heard that? She's my _fiancée_. If anyone's going to be allowed to flirt with her, it's me, got it?"

The guy, who was mostly surprised rather than embarrassed or threatened, blinked back at Killjoy, nodding after the techie gave his shoulder a small shake. "Uhh, okay…?"

"Good to know we're on the same page then, friend."

"You done?" Viper queried, two bags in her arms already.

Killjoy gave the guy one last pat on the shoulder before she nodded and turned to Viper, taking the bags from her. She flashed a bright smile, looking quite proud of what she did.

" _Ja, häschen_." _(Yes, bunny)_

Viper rolled her eyes and turned away, not at all bothering in waiting for her companion, who eagerly and swiftly trailed after her like a puppy with its tail wagging happily behind her.

Killjoy hummed an upbeat tune as she loaded the bags at the back, joining Viper at the front once she finished. The car ride was silent for the first couple of minutes, but by the time they were more than halfway near the house, Viper shattered the silence.

"What was that about?"

"Hmm? What was what about?"

"Don't play that game with me, _KJ_."

Killjoy offered a feeble smile, hearing how Viper emphasized the little nickname. "That guy had it coming."

"The jealousy was uncalled for."

"You would've done the same if you were in my place."

"I don't have to do _anything_ for the people to know not to make a single advance on you."

"I'm not exactly gifted with that cold stare of yours." Killjoy muttered, half-heartedly narrowing her gaze at the scientist.

"That's because the warm look in your eyes suits you more."

Eyes widening in surprise at the sudden comment, she could feel how warm her cheeks and ears became. Killjoy coughed quietly, trying to think if she did something that might be causing Viper to be more _'vocal'_ with her thoughts.

"Sabine, did you really miss me that badly?" Killjoy asked, her tone sounding more lighthearted rather than teasing. Though a question is usually supposed to be answered, she was expecting Viper to just give a comment about how she was being delusional with her assumptions, or just remain silent as she drove.

But then again, Viper _is_ full of surprises, after all.

"I did." Was Viper's truthful reply. "I value the time I spend with the people… _person_ that I deem important to me."

Simply put, the moments they live with one another, the memories they both make, the affection she receives from Killjoy, Viper _treasured_ them and kept each and every piece close to her supposedly stone cold heart. It's what kept it warm and loved.

"I missed you, too."

And Killjoy meant what she said. Despite the operation they're currently assigned and involved in, Killjoy couldn't really see how this wasn't one of the most perfect things to happen between them.

Viper detested the idea of relaxing from her work by going around and doing things like grocery shopping, or just shopping in general. The former wasn't exactly something they needed to do on a daily basis, especially since they have all the food supply they need at headquarters.

This was the likely the closest thing that could ever be considered as a date outside their main base, and honestly, Killjoy did _not_ mind. And, nor did Viper.

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

When they arrived back at the house, Killjoy was feeling quite eager in lending her assistance in preparing for their afternoon meal. Unfortunately for her though, Viper reminded her of the reason why they're there in the first place.

"But, Sabine, I want to help out more."

"I can make our food on my own." Viper said before gesturing at the ingredients Killjoy. "You've already done enough."

"Sa…-"

Viper shot her a sharp look. "Go to the other room and monitor the cameras. Based on Cypher's intel, the delivery will be done around either afternoon or evening, so we need to be on high alert for the time being."

Killjoy wanted to groan and whine, but Viper had a point. It was their responsibility to not screw this mission up, especially if the reason in doing so would just be her trying to convince her girlfriend if she could cook with her.

Instead of being in the kitchen where Viper was finishing the rest of the preparations for their food, Killjoy was boredly situated on a chair and right in front of the computer she had set up yesterday. One hand resting on top of the control board, a single finger would tap on one button every now and then as she watched the live feed she received from the cameras around the city.

When she was about to check the security cameras hidden at the back and front of the house, she heard Viper call her, notifying her that she had finished with their meal.

Killjoy rushed off her chair, hurrying to the kitchen, where she was greeted with the sight of four club sandwiches and a bowl of salad that looked more appetizing than the one she usually sees back at headquarters.

Despite the main course being mere sandwiches, the way they were laid out and so immaculately done made them look as if they were from a high-end restaurant. It made it obvious how Viper had exerted a fair amount of effort in whipping them up. Judging from the evident scowl on her face though, Viper didn't seem to be as pleased as Killjoy with what she had prepared for them.

"You don't look too happy."

"That's because I'm not."

Killjoy tilted her head and stood right beside Viper, the small kitchen island right in front of both of them and presenting the food the scientist made. "Is it because of the food?"

Viper quietly grunted.

Admittedly, Killjoy expected Viper to cook something that mainly required the stove, but the food she prepared? It was still great, nonetheless. "The food looks magnificent, Sabine. I bet it tastes exquisite as well."

"It's just sandwiches," Viper murmured, her glare drifting from the mentioned food to its partner, the salad. "and a couple of leaves thrown in a bowl and decorated."

"Just a curious question, if you hate sandwiches so much, why would you make them?" Killjoy asked curiously, giving Viper a light nudge. "I mean, they look great, but you don't seem satisfied with them."

Viper's lips were set in a line for a moment before she sighed and said, "I don't hate them. It just… reminds me of something."

"And that something is…?"

"That I've focused solely on my work of experimentation and creation of concoctions." Viper's lips curled in distaste. "Since I'm always in a lab working, the food I only manage to eat are these."

"Is that really a bad thing though?"

"Sandwiches are made with haste. It's not exactly the same thing as a warm soup or any other meal that involves seasoning and heating."

Killjoy gave a small laugh, finding this side of Viper somewhat amusing yet so adorable. "Are you saying that… you hate these sandwiches because they aren't similar to those warm meals people usually eat?"

"I know it's not what you expected me to make for lunch, but it is what it is." Viper's gaze may have been lowered, but it had already wandered from the food. "My apologies for the disappointment, _schnecke_."

"Wait, so you hate these sandwiches and you're actually apologizing to me because you didn't cook for me? As in, _'cook-cook'_?"

"You're disappointed," Viper assumed, lips once again curling in distaste, mainly towards herself. "and I'm not fond of disappointing those who expect from me."

Killjoy couldn't believe that mere sandwiches would show her how Viper valued her words and feelings. Though it sounded silly and somewhat laughable, it was heartwarming for her to see the many layers of emotion Viper keeps under her stoic, cold demeanor.

"Sabine," With a soft smile, Killjoy grasped Viper by the arm and gently turned her around until they faced one another. "we're on a mission, remember? Of course it's not a bad thing you made lunch that's _'on-the-go'_. You made an effort just to make these and that's what matters! If it was someone else, I'm pretty sure I'd be eating take-out for the rest of the operation."

Viper was slightly tense when Killjoy pulled her in and enveloped her in a warm hug. It was one of the many times Killjoy appreciated her height since she felt like she was easily keeping Viper all warm and snug in her arms whenever she embraced her like this.

"...I'll make it up to you, _maus_."

"What? The cooking?"

Viper nodded, carefully pulling away to fleetingly caress Killjoy's cheek and gaze into her eyes. Despite her expression still somewhat similar to her usual neutral face, the warmth that filled those emerald eyes of hers were enough to make Killjoy's heart flutter.

"I think this is why you don't usually want me around you." Killjoy said with a little embarrassed smile.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that the longer I stick with you, the more I literally fall head over heels for you." Killjoy pointed out, chuckling as she shook her head. "Sorry, Sabine, but you won't be removing this mouse from your tail anytime soon."

A half-hearted scoff. "I don't exactly have plans in doing so."

"Good."

Viper turned to face their food again, while Killjoy went towards the fridge behind her and took out the cans of soda she was allowed to buy during their grocery run. As the scientist sliced the sandwiches, something reflected from peripherals.

It was gone as quick as it came though.

Nonetheless, Viper raised her head and stared out of the window in front of her, which overlooked another house across the street. It was as plain as the one they're in, but the longer she looked at it, the more she could feel her heart gradually beginning to race.

In the background, she could hear Killjoy opening their drinks and saying something about her and Viper trying some other drink once they're finished with the mission. When the eerie absence of noise, save for the techie's voice, Viper felt uneasy all of a sudden. A sound came from the other room, prompting Killjoy to perk up and make a move to check on it.

"Looks like someone's calling." Killjoy said as she turned away, but before she could walk out of Viper's reach completely, the latter saw something reflect across the street once again.

Eyes widening in realization, Viper abruptly shouted, "Get down!"

The moment she said those two words, a bullet abruptly shot across the road and shattered the window. A pained gasp left Viper when she felt the agonizing feeling of a bullet nastily grazing her right temple.

"Sabine!"

Falling back and colliding against the fridge behind her, Viper groaned at the pain that shot up from her back, while there was this horrible stinging coming from the side of her head. Beside her and crouched low on the floor, Killjoy was panic-stricken, eyes wide as she rushed towards her.

" _Mein Gott_ …" Killjoy uttered in horror once she managed to approach Viper, feeling awfully worried as she watched the visible graze of the bullet on the other's head bleed. "Are you alright? Please tell me you are!"

"I'm fine!" Viper grunted out before grasping Killjoy's shoulder to pull herself from her disgruntled position and shift onto a crouch of her own. "Contact headquarters! The mission's been compromised! Keep your head low!"

"Wait, Sabine…-" Killjoy stopped herself from grabbing Viper, who abruptly rushed off to the other room, only to come back out with a loaded _Phantom_ in hand.

Knowing what she had to do, Killjoy nodded to herself before following the given command. On her way to the room where their set up could be found, Killjoy winced when the window from the back of the house was abruptly shot at as well.

It wasn't optional to stand, unless she had a suicide wish, so she opted in grabbing her control watch and two earpieces at the side of the computer before taking some cover behind the steel cases their equipment used to be in.

From her place, she could see Viper peeking out of a broken window, shooting at the house across the one they're in. Judging by the bullets that would narrowly miss the scientist, the attacker wasn't giving up so easily. Once the scientist was given a momentary break from the gunshots, Killjoy called for her attention and managed to toss an earpiece to her before a call abruptly came in through her watch.

"Brimstone? Brimstone!" Killjoy called out as a soundwave was projected by her watch. "Can you hear me? Do you copy?"

"Reyna and Breach are on their way!" Brimstone's voice poured through the earpiece she just slipped into her ear. "The info was bait!"

"Really!? I don't seem to notice!" Viper hissed from her place and in the earpiece she also had, peeking back out to shoot at the sniper.

"You two need to hold out there as much as you can!"

"Right, easier said than done, old man!" Killjoy replied as she grabbed the other _Phantom_ from a different case, her watch presenting a notification that somebody had just opened the backdoor.

"Thirty minutes and they'll be there!"

"How 'bout making it twenty?" Killjoy asked before she abruptly peeked out and shot the intruder on the calf. The Kingdom soldier cried out and before he could stumble on his footing, a bullet had already blown his head off. "Viper's bleeding here!"

"Just hold out!"

Like what Killjoy said, it was easier said than done.

Viper covered the front, while Killjoy covered the back. The latter took it upon herself to toss Viper some of the magazines whenever she herself was reloading, the concern stirring within her barely contained whenever she looked at the scientist.

The blood had already trickled down from Viper's temple down to her jaw, dripping onto the turtleneck she wore. The more prominent the patch of red became, the more Killjoy felt sick in the stomach.

Meanwhile with Viper, she could feel the headache that was being inflicted by her bleeding temple. Even though it was only a graze and that she should be thankful her head didn't get shot on the very center, it still hurt like hell.

Fifteen to twenty minutes of guns being fired and bullet casings falling on the floor, Viper could see her vision begin to swim, her shots becoming more and more inaccurate as the headache worsened and her body begged her for medical treatment and much needed rest.

There was also this draining feeling within her, but she was quick to assume it was caused by her head wound. After all, it was her only injury, right?

"Killjoy!" She called out as she ducked back to cover, waiting only for two seconds before the techie came from the back and into her view.

"I'm here! What is it?"

"Deploy _Lockdown_!"

"That'll only delay them for at least three to five minutes! It'll take at least ten or more after usage for it to be deployed again!"

"Do it!" Viper ordered, clenching her teeth and hissing in pain as the pounding in her head became so much worse and the stinging from her temple became searing.

Killjoy didn't bother saying or doing anything else once she saw Viper's state. She took out the device and deployed the incapacitating dome. Though it took fifteen to twenty seconds to take effect, it was more than enough for them both to be safe from any Kingdom soldiers that would dare barge into the house.

"Initiated!"

Once she set up an Alarm Bot, a couple of Nanoswarms and a turret at the back of the house, she made her way to Viper, a sniper's bullet narrowly missing the top of her head.

Hastily, Killjoy cleared the nearby end table and positioned her last turret on the surface to temporarily serve as Viper's replacement in the gunfire battle between her and the sniper.

Ducking down quickly, Killjoy situated herself right beside her bleeding partner, who was groaning to herself as her wound continued to cry out with its burgundy tears. It wasn't going to be a possible cause of death, but that didn't exactly reassure Killjoy.

Especially when she noticed that the left part of Viper's turtleneck was beginning to be stained by the crimson color.

"You've been shot!" Killjoy cried out, pressing a hand over the bleeding mess, which prompted Viper to hiss and cuss in pain.

"Must've pierced through the wall..." Viper struggled to say, now realizing why she was feeling awfully lightheaded and colder than normal. She placed her hands over the one Killjoy pressed against her bullet wound, giving her own attempt in minimizing the bleeding. "I'll be fine."

"Fine? You're bleeding from your head and your stomach!"

Viper gripped the front of Killjoy's hoodie as the pain intensified even further. "Where the fuck is Reyna and Breach?"

As if her question was their cue, two familiar voices suddenly reached their ears, both originating from outside.

**"The fun begins!"**

**"Let's go!"**

The ground shook as Breach's kinetic blasts boomed through, while Reyna's sinister laughs could be heard in between the sound of gunfire. Thankfully, no bullet was piercing through the walls anymore. Their enemies seemed to have directed their focus on the newly-arrived duo. Judging from the heavy footfalls and additional gunshots that followed, the two agents were not alone in their arrival.

Killjoy nearly jumped and shot the first VALORANT soldier that entered the house. The captain immediately commanded his squad to secure the vicinity, while he and a medic crowded around the groaning scientist.

Knowing she's in capable hands, Killjoy forcefully pried herself away from Viper to deactivate her bots and lend her assistance in pushing back those who had done this to her lover.

Before she joined Reyna and Breach's firing spree outside, she gave Viper one last look, which the woman returned with a weak nod of her head, before she rushed out with her _Phantom_ fully loaded and finger ready to pull the trigger.

With what they've done and tried doing to Viper, Killjoy was feeling immensely motivated in giving those Kingdom people the same dose of their own medicine.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

The flight back to headquarters dragged on too long for Killjoy. She was barely listening to Breach and his explanation about the faulty intel Cypher had acquired. Apparently, the Kingdom purposely made sure that the Moroccan would end up believing and taking the fabricated information and end up relaying it to the people in VALORANT.

It was a ploy for them to lure out the _Radiants_ and have them be spread thin in order for them to be eliminated one by one and in a much easier method.

Killjoy should be grateful they didn't experience what Sova and Omen had gone through in Russia. The two were nearly caught in a Spike explosion, barely managing to get away from its radius when its countdown reached zero.

Due to Viper being injured, she was taken back to headquarters earlier than hers and the other agents' departure from the city. A part of Killjoy was relieved to know that Viper made it and that she received the necessary treatment from Sage upon her arrival at their main base.

The other part though, it's what's causing her to fidget in her seat on their way back. She couldn't even fully pay attention to what Breach or Reyna were telling her. It registered in her mind, but she was too preoccupied to actually contribute to the conversation.

She wanted to see Viper so badly.

"You look so stressed, _hermanita_." _(sister)_ Reyna said, finally pointing out the obvious fact why Killjoy was so mute throughout their discussion. "There is nothing to worry about. Sage is most likely taking care of her as we speak."

"I know." Killjoy responded back with a sigh. "I can't help it. You saw her state, didn't you? It didn't really help that she was wearing white. I could see how much blood she was losing."

"Viper's a tough one." Breach commented, letting out a rumbling chuckle. "Knowing her, she's probably working at her lab right now instead of following Sage's advice for a rest."

Reyna tittered at that. "Oh, she _is_ a rather stubborn one, isn't she?"

Killjoy offered a half-hearted smile, feeling somewhat grateful towards the reassurance the two were offering. Her worry was still there, but it managed to ease her enough to stay patient until they returned to base.

Once the aircraft landed at the hangar and the hatch opened, Killjoy was the first person out, rushing past Brimstone and calling over her shoulder to tell him that debriefing could wait and that she needed to see Viper as soon as possible.

Both Reyna and Breach joined Brimstone at the entrance of the aircraft, standing on either side of the man as the three of them watched Killjoy rush to the direction where the medical bay could be found.

"That kid has no patience whatsoever." Brimstone said with a shake of his head.

"She's worried about her _cariño_ , Brimstone. You know how she gets when it involves our little snake friend." _(sweetheart/honey)_

Brach gave a snort, also shaking his head before waving a mechanical hand and walking off. "Well, like what the kid said, debriefing can wait. I'll be at my workshop."

"Is Viper even _at_ the medical bay?" Reyna asked Brimstone, already having a hunch on what the answer was going to be.

"Nope." Was Brimstone's frank reply.

Meanwhile at the med bay, Sage could be found tending to Sova's injuries, the two agents idly conversing with one another. Despite nearly being purged by a Spike and running through countless gunfire during their escape, the Russian seemed to be taking the incident all too well.

"Moving on from that, have you heard about what Raze has been doing?" Sova asked, shifting their topic to something more casual.

"And what has our loud friend been up to?" Sage queried back, already smiling since she was quite certain Raze was probably pulling pranks on the other recruits.

"You are unaware?" Sova replied with another question in return. "What I'm about to say is no means an attempt to corner or embarrass you, Sage, but you and Reyna have been seeing one another, yes?"

Sage stilled for a split-second, a momentary reaction that the archer immediately noticed. "If you count the times Reyna dropped by to have a weekly checkup, then I suppose we _are_ seeing one another."

"Come now, Sage. There is no need to hide your relationship from me."

A sigh. "How long have you known?"

"Ever since I spotted Reyna leaving the medical bay with a smile too innocent to be considered identical to her sinister smirks."

Sage then offered a shy smile. "She and I agreed to keep things professional when among others, so we figured it would be best to keep it to ourselves."

"And that decision of yours is completely understandable."

"Though I fail to see how my relationship with Reyna is relevant to our discussion about Raze."

"Ah, well…" Sova chuckled, shaking his head while he watched Sage heal his gunshot wound on the arm. "She has been asking both Cypher and I if we could lend her some of our equipment, and when we asked why she needed it, she said she wanted to know if you and Reyna were really an item and that it's not just some ridiculous rumour."

Sage groaned, knowing this was definitely expected from Raze. She wouldn't be surprised if she got Phoenix and Jett in on her plans. "Is she working on her own or…?"

"Do not worry yourself. Cypher gave her false information and told her that Reyna has been making advances on the recruits instead of you."

"I know it's literally a lie, but why do I feel a little jealous at that statement?" Sage asked half-jokingly, prompting Sova to give a small but hearty laugh.

Before Sova could utter any more of his thoughts about their topic, the quiet hiss of the medical bay's door opening stole both of their attention. They found Killjoy standing at the doorway, huffing and puffing since she ran all the way there.

"Sage! Just the agent I wanted to see!" Killjoy shuffled towards them, giving Sova a quick wave before returning her focus on the healer. "Is Sabine here? Is she alright? Did you patch her up?"

Sova smiled and shook his head, turning to Sage and gesturing for her to calm their German friend down before she returned to completing the healing process.

"Calm down, Killjoy. Let me answer your questions one by one, alright?" Sage started, leaving half of Sova's arm crystallized with the green-tinted ice-like material of the orb she had used on him. "First of all, yes, she is absolutely fine and healthy. Her injuries, though severe one of them was, have been taken care of. As for her presence, no, she is _not_ here."

"Wait, what? She's not here?"

Sage shook her head.

"Sage," Killjoy grasped her arms. "Sabine was just shot on the head _and_ the stomach. Why would you _not_ put her to bed rest?"

"Maybe because she is stubborn." Sova commented from his place on the examination table, while Sage nodded and added to his statement, "As a bull, yes."

"Where is she now, then?"

Sage looked over to Sova for a response to the question since she had no clue on where the scientist went off to. The archer smiled and shifted from his place before he said, "I am uncertain why, but she mentioned that she was heading to the mess hall."

"For what? Food?"

"Highly likely."

"But why? Couldn't she ask someone to just get her some?"

"I offered," Sage mentioned. "but she said she didn't need me to. She was quite persistent in leaving and though she lost a fair amount of blood, I had used two orbs in order to heal her to full health. There isn't much to worry about."

"Still." Killjoy huffed, taking a breath to calm herself when she realized she was so close to shouting. "Okay, alright, I'm calm now. Sorry."

Sova nodded to the door, saying, "Why don't you check on her at the mess hall? She might still be there."

"Right, of course, I will." Killjoy gave them both a grateful smile, offering her thanks mostly to Sage before she excused herself and rushed off to her next destination in headquarters.

"Quite energetic, isn't she?" Sova commented after a moment of silence upon Killjoy's leave.

Sage chuckled. "Quite."

Another round of sprinting through the vast facility, Killjoy eventually reached the dining hall, where she was unable to find the familiar face she's been seeking out ever since she returned.

"She's in the kitchen." Came a deep and hoarse voice behind her.

Turning around, Killjoy found Omen, who had literally passed her and was making his way to one of the many exits. He seemed to have just finished his evening meal.

Killjoy's stomach grumbled at the thought of food and the delicious aroma originating from the kitchen. She and Viper haven't eaten anything today since their lunch was disturbed by none other than the Kingdom operatives that decided it was definitely the perfect time to shoot at them.

Disregarding the rumbling of her stomach, Killjoy went straight to the kitchen. She murmured a bunch of _'excuse me'_ throughout her little entry, but once she reached the back of the kitchen area, she finally spotted the scientist she's been worrying over for the past couple of hours.

The concern she was feeling almost diminished completely once she saw that Viper was back to her prime shape. Though the scientist looked paler, most likely due to the blood loss she experienced, Killjoy was thankful Sage had fixed her up well.

Viper seemed to have changed back to her usual attire, but instead of wearing a lab coat, she had a simple white apron on while her turtleneck's sleeves were rolled up to her elbows.

The area around the raven-haired agent was cleared out, the cooks of the kitchen glancing anxiously at her direction every now and then. After all, she's an operative that specializes in concocting poison, so her being near food was enough to cause some wariness.

Killjoy approached Viper, noting how she was reading something from the small hologram being projected by the piece of tech situated right beside a bunch of ingredients on the steel table.

"Sabine?"

Viper, who seemed to be looking through the recipe of the dish she had in mind, turned to Killjoy, unsurprised by her presence. "Took you awhile to find me."

"Took me awhile? Now wait a sec," Killjoy walked up to her, her hand reaching out to brush some of Viper's hair back to check on her previously wounded temple. "shouldn't you be resting? Not only have we just returned from a mission, but didn't you just get shot? Twice?"

"Sage healed me."

"That doesn't mean you're going to abuse your body just like that. Get some rest."

"No."

Clearly, there's a reason why their fellow agents always called Viper stubborn. Honestly speaking though, most of them shared that particular trait.

"Sabine, seriously. You need rest."

"No, I don't. I know my limits and I'm not even halfway there."

"How many times do I have to tell you? You just got shot. You seriously need rest."

"No."

"Why are you being so difficult?"

"Because I owe you a meal."

Now _that_ threw Killjoy into a curve. She tilted her head in brief confusion, realizing soon after what Viper was talking about. Surprise replaced her bafflement, her gaze switching between the controller and the laid out ingredients.

"You want to cook for me? Now?"

"I _was_ injured, _schnecke,_ " Viper brought up ever so coolly before continuing with, "but that doesn't mean I've been incapacitated."

"Why couldn't you just have the cooks make us something?"

"Isn't the reason behind your desire to cook with me is because you want to bond?"

Killjoy's cheeks became dusted with pink at the mention of that. Her resolve in convincing Viper to rest up fading as she said, "Well, yes, who wouldn't want to bond with their significant other?"

"Precisely. Now," Viper took one of the potatoes and tossed it to Killjoy, who managed to catch it before it could hit and bounce off her chest. "wash and peel that potato. We'll be making clam chowder."

Instead of doing the given order immediately, Killjoy couldn't stop herself from smiling and asking, "You want to bond with me, Sabine?"

Viper, who was just about to peel an onion, turned back to her, gazing right into her eyes for what felt like a long heart-fluttering moment before uttering a reply that made Killjoy's heart leap with joy.

"I always do, _liebling_."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: Another NanoBite story done! This one was commissioned by none other than @MxnstrAshe from Twitter, who also inspired me to include the whole idea of Viper having long hair. She drew an image of that, so check her on Twitter to see it! OuO


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